Electric starter.



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f ELEcmQ STARTER. v, g `APPLICATION FILED APR. I3. I9I4. .y i 1,285,167. Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

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vAPPLICATION FILED APR. I3. i914.

' Patented Nov. 19. 1918.

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UNITED "STATES rATEN'r OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. HENSLEY, 0F BOUNDBROOK, AND CHARLS W. URBAN, OF WESTFIELD,

NEW JERSEY,

ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 BOUND BROOK ENGINE '65 MFG. CO., ACORPORAITION OF DELAWARE.' v

f LCTRIC STARTER.'

lpeaication o f Letters Patent. Patented QV. 19, 1918,

Application filed VApril 13, 19ml. serial aereas.

To all whom t mag/concern;

Be it known that we, WILLIAM T. HENs LEY and CHARLES W. URBAN, citizensof the United States of America, and residents of Boundbrook, Somersetcounty, and Westfield, Union county, New Jersey, re'spec tivel haveinvented a certain new and use- Vful j mprovement 1n Electric Starters,of V'which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to apparatus for startinginternal combustionengines, and

more especially to those employed on automobiles, motor boats, etc.There are many different forms of thesel devices and our inventionrelates more particularly to those which involve an electric motor forstartingv the engine.v y

Generally stated, the ob]ect of our invention is to provide a novel andhighly etticlent lelectric starter for use on automobiles, mo-

tor boats, etc., whereby the engine of the vehicle, boat or otherstructure, may be started without the necessity of manually rotating theshaft of theengine, ordinarily known as cranking, and whereby the enginemay be startedby simply pressing a lever or pedal or any other means forclosing the starting circuit through the motor.

A special object is to provide a novel and highly efficient constructionwhereby a single dynamo electric machine may be employed for bothpurposes-that is to say, for

first start-ing the engine, by rotating the crank shaft thereof, and forthen charging the storage battery from which the current is supplied forstarting purposes, thereby avoiding the necessity of employing twoseparate and distinct machines, a motor and a generator, for startingthe engine and charging the battery. y

Itis also an object to provide certain features and combinations anddetails ofconstruction tending to increase the general ef-v ciency andserviceability of an electric starter of this particular character.

To these and other useful ends our Uinvention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed.

"In the accompanying drawings- Figure l isa front elevation of anautomobile'equipp'ed with an electricstarter embodying the principles ofour invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the v clutch which is mounted onthe engine shaft,

starting circuit.

through which ,the single dynamo electric machine, operating as a motor,starts the engine, and through which the said dynamo electric machine,operating as a generator, ,y after the engine has gotten under way, thencharges the storage battery from which the current is supplied forstarting purposes.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a diagram showingthe starting and 'charging circuits of the apparatus involved in ourimproved electric starter.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 .in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectionalv view of f the lfoot treadle and circuitcontrolling switch operated thereby for closing the Fig. 7 is anenlarged sectional view ofthe relay by whichthe charging circuit,andcerthe spring Fig. 1l is. a detail section online 11`f11 in Fig. 6.

As thusiillustrated, and referring to Fig. 1, the dynamo electricmachine A .is mounted in any convenient manner,at one side of theengine, and provided with a sprocket wheel aof any suitable character.The sprocket wheel clutch B is mounted on the engine shaft C, and thetwosprocket wheels are connected together by a` sprocket chain b of anywell known or suitable form. The said clutch is preferably of the kindshown in Figs. 2,` 3 and 5, comprising a disk b1 which is keyed to theshaft C, and anotherl disk' b2 which is loose on said shaft, beingsupported by the ball bearing b3 carried by 'the hub portion b4 of thesaid first mentioned disk. The disk b2 is provided with sprocket Xedpins'b, and are heldyieldingly in engagement with said ratchet teeth bymeans of springs b9, whereby when the clutch B isl rotated inthedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, in starting the engine,the

shaft C will be rotated thereby. The'brake shoes bwlare pivoted at 611upon the disk b2 and are arranged to engage the drum or cylindric flangeZ212 which is integral or rigid with the disk b1, said 'shoes beingyieldmgly held to ether and upon said drum by the spring 13, or by anyother suitable means.

Thus, and when the speed of the engine be' firmly upon the said drum,wlereby theen-` gine can never drive the disk a given speed,aswillhereinafter more fully 2l faster than appear.,

The' foot treadlel) is held normally in" raisedl'position .bythe springd which bears -on the. plate d1 fastened to the body d2 which isfastened to" the floor of the' automobile. This body contains a coupleof fixed or stationary contacts d3, of suitable metal,

or of any other goed conducting material. These contacts are providedwith connectors d* whereby the switch is included in the startingcircuit. The movable contact d5 is selcured to the lower end of the foottreadle stem de and is adapted to move up and down within the body d2,when the treadle is operated by the foot. The cross bar Z1 is movabletupand down on the boss @Z8 of the plate d1, above the Contact d5, and isprovided with the downwardly extending plungers d, which latterare disosed in vertical recesses in the said mova lecontact. The said plungersare held normally down by the springs d1", which latter also serve tokeep the bar di normally in firm .contact with the top-of the movablecontactd, as shown in Fig. 6. v The llower ends of the plun ers dproject below the face or contact sur ace of the movable contact d5 andare adapted to engage the recesses Z11 formed in the tops l ofthe.stationary contacts. When the treadle "i the contacts Z5 to .movedownward after the.

is' pressed downward, the plungers d first engage the contacts da,whereby the circuit is closed preliminarily, so to speak, before the twostationary contacts `are electrically connected together by directcontactwith.

the lower surface lof the movable Contact d in the required manner.`Itwill be understood, of course, that the springs d1 permit plungers dhave ceased/their downward movement. Also, and when the foot treadle isreleased, Athe spring d raises thel contact d5, whereby the circuitremains closed through the plungers i for a period of time after thestationary contacts (la have been disengaged by the contact d5, thereby.

preventing sparking or burning of main contacts.

The relay shown in Fig. 7 and which controls the charging and othercircuits, is

preferably constructed as follows: The core E forms a spool for theinner and outer windings e and e1, and has its hea-d or upper receivingcurrent.

E is provided with a seat e7 for the tapered of the vshell e3 isprovided with a beveled seat e for receivingthe beveled edge of theAsaid armature. With .this construction, the stem` e5 moves up and down,when the relay is energized and denergized. W'hen the armature isattracted, the shell and core of the relay, together with the upper endportion e2, serve as means for completing the magnetic circuit throughthe armature, whereby a powerful magnetic effect is produced. The upwardmovement of the head c operates the two upper and lower springs e1 and611', which are of some length, and which have their outside ornon-opposing surfaces provided with insulations @12 and 613, these twosprings being held in place by a binding post c, of anysuitable or wellknown character. The relatively long spring @15 is normally inelectrical contact with the relatively short spring e1", these springsbeing mounted upon the binding posts e and e18 respec- 4armatureshoulder es and that the lower edge tively. The upper spring e1 isnormally out of contact with the spring e1?, and is supported by asuitable binding post e2", as shown more clearly in Figs. 8, 9 andA 10.

` When the head e movesnpward, the springs e1 and c11 are brought intoelectrical contact with each other, and the continued upward movement ofthe relay armature theri 10:1` spring 'e115 rests type ordinarily knownas a long shuntT n1achine, as the shunt winding f is in circuit with theseries winding f1, thus forming a long shunt including the two windingsin series. When the foot treadle D is pressed, a circuit iscompletedvfrom the storage battery G through the'co'nductor 1, throughthe contacts d3 and d5 of said switch, throughthe conductor 2 to theseries coil f1, through the brushes f2 and f3 and armature f* ofthedynamo electric machine, and over conductor 3 to the other pole of saidbattery. It will also be seen that the shunt winding f is inAV circuitwith the battery at this time, whereby both coils or windings ofthemachine are This operates the said dynamo electric machine` F as-'amotor, causing it to drive the clutch' B through the sprocketconnection. As soon as the engine begins to operate under its own hasattained a greater speed, the brake shoes b1 of the clutch reduce theldriving friction on the drum blz, whereby the engine runs ahead of thedynamo electric machine, the speed of the latter remaining constant; andat' this time it will be understood that the dogs 67 are moving backwardover the ratchet b, as the disk b1 is rotating faster than the disk b2,in a manner that will be readily understood. The dynamo electric machinethus driven by the engine becomes operative as a generator, the shuntcoil or winding f causing the machine to buildup a suicient voltage toenable the machine to deliver the required current; and. at this time,of course, the series coil or winding f1 is not in use, except as a partof the shunt circuit of the generator. The current thus generated flowsfirst through a circuit including the conductors 3 and 4, the relaycontacts e16 and 615, the conductor 5, the coil or winding e1 of therelay, and the conductor 6 leading to the other pole of the generator.For convenience we have called this circuit the energizing circuit.Ordinarily, andwhile the engine is starting, this coil or winding e1does not suiiiciently energize the relay, although it may receivecurrent from the battery; but upon a.

slightly increased voltage, (in practice this -iiicrease may be aboutoie-half of a volt for a six volt system) the said relay becomessuficiently energized by the current from the generator F, causingl thearmature of the relay to rise and connect together the contacts el ande, and at the same time shifting the contact e from the contact el tothe contact e1", as previously explained. This, it will'be seen, closesa circuit from the generator through the conductor 3 to the battery Gr,then over the conductor 7 to the meter 8, through said meter and overthe conductor 9 and through the contacts and e, through the conductor 10to the coil or winding e, and thence over the conductor 6 to the otherpole of the generator. This is a charging circuit; as it includes thesaid current meter 8, it follows that said meter `will show everyHuctuation in the current, caused by fluctuations in the driving4transmission between the engine and the generator; but by reason of themanner in which the pressure of the brake shoes Z210 is relieved bycentrifugal force, thegenerator will run at constant speed, orsubstantially so; and with the mechanism carefully adjusted, the Vsaidmeter will show very little fluctuation, it being possible with thisarrangement for the engine to run at either maximum or minimumspeedwithout causing any material fluctuation of the current, although inpractice there is a slightly larger charging current when the engine isrunpower, and

characteristic. During this charging operation it will be seen that thecurrent from the generator F. over the the lamp 11 receives conductors 3and 4, through the'spring carryingl the contact @mand contact 619,'(contacts el and e being insulated 'from each other, the current willnot/thereby be shortl oircuited) thence through the lampll, through meter 8and over the conductor 9, through contacts elo and c, inner coil orwinding e of the relay, and thence through the conductor 6 to the otherside of the generator. Thejiiieter Sis thus always con-l nected in thecharging circuit so that as soon assthe charging operation begins thismeter will show, at all times, the amount of current being used forchargingthe battery. As soon as the engine and generator stop, thecurrent from the generator will, ofcourse, cease and the relay E willthereby be denergized and the circuits and apparatus will then assumethelpositions shown in vFig. et,4 where they are ready to be used againfor starting the engine.

As previously stated, the batteryl ma have a voltage of approximatelysix vo ts, in Which case, and with the arrangement shown, the voltagewhile the battery is being charged would rise about 5-8/10 volts to `Forexample, the charging operationvinay continue after ythe battery isfully charged, and-the battery may be'of that well known character inwhich this will produce no injurious eifec't; or, and. if the relativearrangement and adjustment are such that the battery when fully chargedhasa voltage substantially equal to that of the generator,

the relay E will thereby Vbe denergized, .as

with the battery and generator voltage eX- actly the same there will beno current flowing in the coils or windings of said relay.

From the foregoing it will be seen, therefore, that my inventioncontemplates a novel and improved construction and arrangement whereby asingle dynamo electric machine is sufficient for both purposes-that isto Say, is capable of use as a motor for starting the engine, and ofthen operating. as a generator to recharge the `battery. For thispurpose, as previously explained, the said dynamo electric machine F ispreferably of the compound wound type of generator, having the coils orwindings thereof connected and arranged in the manner shownl iso shownand described, the 4engine cannot opcrate the machine F at a variablespeed, and consequently the charging current remains steady and uniformin character, as will be indicated by the meter included in the chargingcircuit; and if for any reason the clutch mechanism'is not operatingproperly, whereby the variable speed of thel engine results vin avariable charging current, the said meter will at once indicate that theapparatus is not running in the desired manner, andl will enable theuser to remedy the difficulty at once. It is obvious, of course, thatanysuitable transmission can be used between the clutch B and the motorshaft, as belts or other power transmitting instrumentalities of anysuitable, known or 4japproved form can be employed for this pur-- pose..As to the -arrangement of thev diii'erent elements or instrumentalitieswhich go to make up the complete engine starting apparatus, as hereinshown and, described, it is obvious that this may be of any suitable ycharacter. For example, the ammeter 8 can be mounted on the Idash of theautomobile, with the lamp 11 directly above; and the relay E can also bemounted on the dash, being provided with a housing H for this purpose.In this connection, also, it will be understood that the several switchsprings of therelay are suitably arranged upon a block of insulation h,and that the latter is secured in any suitable manner above the relaymagnet, and in such position that the head e6 is directly below theouter end portion ofthe spring e, whereby the said springs are operatedin the manner previously described. The electrical connections to andfrom the said relay springs can be of any suitablecharacter, and anyknown or ordinary means can be used for this purpose. controlled switchmay be arranged in any suitable position, so that the treadle D can beeasily operated by the foot. The electrical connections for this switchcan also be made in any suitable manner.

With further respect to the clutch mechanism shown and described, itwill be seen that the spring bla, in combination with the adjustingscrew which is shown applied to one' end thereof, (see Fig. 2)constitutes a means whereby the frictional pressure of thef" clutch canbe changed or varied to vary lthe speed of the dynamo electricmachine.-v r'For example, and if the tension of this screw be increased,thefriction of the clutch will be The manually I that the charglngcurrent will lbe increased n also; but if thel tension of this spring isrelaxed by loosening the screw adjustingv device, then there will be adecrease of the charging current. In this way any desired chargingcurrent may be obtained at the will or pleasure of the user.

With further respect to the compound winding of the relay, it will beseen that the shunt winding e1 thereof is depended on to cause theinitial' operation. of the relay, whereby the armature is drawn up andthe charging circuit close-d. plished while the voltage is in excess ofthe battery voltage, of course, and when the charging circuit is closedthe current then immediately flows in the series winding e, and theshunt circuit of the relay is opened. This operation/is desirable forthe reason that when the generator slows down to a l point where` thevoltage is only slightly in excess of or equal to the battery voltage, asmall current or no current `at all then `Howsin the series winding,whereby the armature is released and the charging circuit is opened.When this is done the relay cannot then be fully energized again untilthe generator voltage is suiiciently in excess of the battery voltage.Otherwise, and if this relay armature should beheld in attractedposition after the generator voltage falls below that of the battery,the current j froln the battery weld` then imiediatelyvtlow in a reverse.d1recti'on in the relay magnet, through the series winding,and therebyretain the armature in attracted position. The L' result of this, ofcourse, would be that the relay winding and alsoy the meter would be indanger of being burned out or otherwise injured. y/

What we claim as 'l ur invention is 1; An electric st A ter for internalcombustionengmes, comprising-a dynamo electric' machine, aclutch/whereby said'fachine and engine alternately drive each other, astorage This is, accomsusv battery, a-starting circuit including saidmarent/said engine and machine having parallel'vshafts, said clutchbeing disposed on the eri/gine shaft, and a connection from the./c/lutch to the shaft of said machine.

2. An electric starter for internal combustion engines, comprising a.dynamo electric machine, a clutch whereby said machine and enginealternately drive each other, a storage battery, a starting circuitincluding said machine and battery, whereby said machine operates as amotor to start the engine, anenergizing circuit, a charging circuitiiicluding said machine and battery, whereby the engine operates saidmachine as a generator. to charge the battery, means for opening saidenergizing circuit when said charging circuitis established, a manualswitch for the starting circuit, and a relay for automatii cally closingthe charging circuit when said machine is driven by theengine, operatedby the generator current, said clutch having mechanism for preventingthe engine 4frein y,

'bustion engines,

driving said Vmachine faster than a given speed, and means saidmechanism is keeping the machine running at proper speedi 3. An electricstarter vfor internal4 combustion engines, comprising a dynamo electricmachine, a clutch whereby `said niachine and engine alternately driveeach other, a storage battery, a starting circuit including said machineand'battery, whereby said machine operates as'y a motor to start theengine, an energizing circuit, a charging circuit including said machineand battery, whereby the engine operates said machine as a generator tocharge the battery, means for opening said energizing circuit when saidcharging circuit is established, a maiiual switch for the startingcircuit, a'nd a nelay for automatically closing the charging circuitwhen said machine is engine, operated by the generator current, saidclutch including a ratchet for starting the engine, and a friction drivefor operating said machine as a generator, having -centrifugallyoperated means for reducing-the friction as the speed ofthe engineincreases,

Vwhereby to keep the machine running at uniform speed.

4. An electric starter for internal combustion engines, comprising adynamo electric machine, a clutch wherebysaid machine and enginealternately drive each other, a storage battery, a starting circuitincluding said machine and battery, whereby vsaid machine for indicatingwhether driven by the operates as a motor to start the engine, an

energizing circuit, a charging circuit including said machine andbattery, whereby the engine operates said machine as a generator foropening said energizing circuit when said charging circuit isestablished, a manual switch for the starting circuit, and a relay forauto- I matically closing the charging circuit when said machine isdriven'fby the engine,-'op erated by the generator current, said clutchincluding 'a sprocket wheel loose on the engine shaft, ratchet teeth onsaid wheel, a

disk fast on said shaft, a pawl Ypivoted on' said disk to engage saidteeth, whereby the engine lis driven' by said machine operating as amotor,

a shoe pivoted on said wheel to frictionally engage the disk, a springfor re- V sist-ing centrifugal force to. keep the shoe against the disk,and a sprocket connection from said wheel to the shaft )of said machine.v

5. An electric starter for internal com-v -comprising a dynamo electricmachine, a clutch whereby said machine and engine alternately driveeachother, a storage battery, a `Starting circuit including said machineand battery, whereby said machine operatesas a motor tol start theengine, an energizing circuit, a charging cir# cuit including saidmachine and battery, 'whereby the engine operates said machine as agenerator to charge the battery, means for opening said energizingcircuit when -said 'charging circuit is established, a manual switch forthe starting circuit, and a relay ,forautomatically closing the chargingcir- \cuit when said machine isdriven by the engine, operated by thegenerator current, sai relay including a winding, an armature, means forproviding a closed magnetic circuit through said armature, when therelay is energized,A a stem rigid with said armature, and springcontacts operated by saidA Stein?.

motor to start the engine, an

6. VAn electric starter for internal combusengine operated said machineas a generator to charge the battery, means for opening said energizingcircuit when said charging circuitis established, a manual.-switchforthe starting circuit, and a `relay for automatically closing thecharging circuit when said machine is driven by the engine, .oper-,

ated by the generator current, saidswitch including a pair of stationarycontacts, a movable contact for electrically connectingl Said stationarycontacts together, and a pair of spring pressed plungers whereby thecircuit is closed` before said movable lcontact engages said stationarycontact, and where-v by the circuit remains closed after saidinovablecontact disengages said stationary contacts. 1

7 An electric starter for internal combustion engines, comprising adynamo electric machine, a clutch whereby said machine and enginealternately drive each other, a storage battery, a starting circuitincluding said machine and battery, whereby said machine operates as amotor to start the en#l gue, an energizing circuit, a charging circuitincluding said machine and battery,' whereby the engine operates saidmachine as a generator to charge the battery,

opening said energizing circuit when 'saidy means for L39 iis chargingcrcut is cstabshed, a manual Signed by us at Boundbrook,v NewJerswitchfor the sarting circuit, and a relay say, this 30th day of March,1914.

for automaticaly closing the charging cir- A cuit when said machine isdriven by the en- -5 gine, operated by the generator current., said v vclutch having a spring and mcans for ad- Vtnessesz justing'the tensionof said spring to control NL W. KUNTz, the speed of said machine. J. A..MEGHLER.

Copies oi this' patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents', Washington, TD. C.

